If you’re interested in painting, drawing, and illustrating, we have the perfect Saturday lined up! It’ll be a great time with laughter, conversation, creativity, and the space to stretch out! It’s all FREE!
We’ll make Christmas Cards, too!
Open Paint 10am-3pm For the entire day, it’s an open paint! All are welcome, including the public, family, and friends! It’s free! We have watercolors and acrylics on hand, or bring your own if you wish.
If the weather is nice out, visitors can also embark on an Uxbridge sketch walk. We have the maps all ready.
When: Saturday, November 30, 2019 10am – 3pm
Where: BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Art Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
Our Saturdays at the gallery include an open paint session where all styles of art are warmly welcome. Whether you’re 12 or 102, whether you’re a new beginner or a seasoned artist, we would love to have you. It’s completely free to participate in the open paint. You can bring your own paints or we’ll have watercolors and brushes to share.
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
Feel free to show up for some or all of the day to paint. Some come for just the morning, some for the afternoon, and some for the entire time. There are several options on the same block to grab lunch if you’d like. We also bring in a pizza and those who want slices chip in a few dollars.
Our Saturday events are free, casual, relaxed, and fun! All levels are welcome.
Ask with any questions – we’d love to have you join us!
This Uxbridge gallery is supported in part by BVAA member dues, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and by ValleyCAST. The space use is kindly donated to us by Open Sky Community Services. Open Sky uses this space for client activities during weekdays. They allow the BVAA use of the space – and its gallery walls – on evenings and weekends.
Our November 2019 meeting will feature talented artist Mary Wojciechowski! A watercolorist for decades, began working with alcohol inks a few years ago. She now presents demos and teaches workshops throughout southern New England and will shared her love for these vibrant and often unpredictable inks at the Blackstone Valley Art Association at 6:30 on November 19th, 2019.
Location: BVAA Alternatives / Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
This meeting and workshop is free and open to the public. No experience is necessary. The fun of our workshops is that we all try new things we’ve never done before.
Our meetings cover BVAA organization business from 6:30-7:00pm and then go into the workshop part of the evening. Feel free to come for whichever half interests you the most. In general, our monthly meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month unless otherwise announced.
All are welcome – this workshop is open to members and non-members. Feel free to bring along a friend! We’d love to see you there to try some new things and explore your creativity!
Ask with any questions!
Here’s a video of the demo:
Our meetings are supported in part by grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
This is our fourth annual art-poetry show! This page here explains how the show works, for the artists and poets who are interested in participating.
The show is a “traveling” show which will be at the Blackstone Library in March 2020 and then the Millbury Barnes & Noble in April 2020. In previous years we had been at the Worcester Public Library to start in February, but they are undergoing renovations. If you have any thoughts as to where we could be in February, please let us know.
The artists are drawn from our Blackstone Valley Art Association. The poets are drawn from the Sutton Writing Group and the Worcester Writers Collaborative.
Anyone interested in participating please let Lisa know by MONDAY OCTOBER 28 2019 of that interest. Let her know if you prefer a partner you can meet in person or if you prefer to work remotely, staying in touch via email.
Soon after that, each artist is paired with a poet. They form a team for the duration of this project.
Sometime before December 1, 2019, the poet provides the artist with a poem. The poem can be custom-written for this project or it can be a favorite the artist already has written. The poem will be hung in the show on a maximum size of 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper so it should be short enough to fit on that paper at a reasonably sized font. With that being said, the poem can otherwise be as short or as long as the poet desires. It can be a short haiku or a long sonnet.
The artist now has until January 31, 2020 to create a work of art that represents that poem. The art can be a literal interpretation. It can convey the emotion of the poem. It can focus on one aspect of the poem. It is up to the artist to choose how to present their interpretation. That pairing of poem-plus-artwork will be hung side by side at the show.
In parallel:
Sometime before December 1, 2019, the artist provides the poet with a piece of art (a JPG photo of it is fine). Again, the artwork can be custom-created for this project or it can be an existing favorite.
The poet now has until January 31, 2020 to write a poem based on that piece of art. The poem does not need to literally describe the artwork. It can convey an emotion. It can create a story based on the scene. It can be whatever the poet wishes. Again, the poem will be hung in the show on a maximum size of 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper so it should be short enough to fit on that paper at a reasonably sized font. With that being said, the poem can otherwise be as short or as long as the poet desires. It can be a short haiku or a long sonnet.
When each poem and artwork is complete (both in the first and second round), please also send a copy to Lisa so she can work on the Tetris-like logistics of seeing what will fit where. For art, let her know the dimensions of the piece when you send the JPG.
Since we are not restricted in size this year by the Worcester Library cases, our size restriction is primarily the Blackstone Library cases. Half of the artwork needs to go in the cases there while the other half can hang on the wall. Lisa will coordinate who will go where once we determine the pairings. We’ll try to ensure that people who “went small” in previous years to fit the space constraints have the opportunity to “go large” this year if they wish.
If anybody has any questions or comments, please let Lisa know. Let her know if you’re interested in participating! You can participate just as one half (i.e. just an artist or just a poet) or as both halves.
My current roster is:
Poets Christine Beauchaine Michelle Benjamin Linda DeFeudis Richard Dresden Sarah Beth Guimond Daria Hamelin Andrea Lettic Madeline Poitras Sheryl Kimball Kara Emily Krantz Luke MacNeil Nasim Mansuri S. M. Nevermore Jane Nozzolillo Evan Plante Malt Schlitzman Lisa Shea Charles Smith Trisha Wooldridge
Artists Christine Beauchaine Laura Cenedella Linda DeFeudis Bob Evans Holly Fabbricotti Young Farwell Sarah Beth Guimond Daria Hamelin Sheryl Kimball Kara Emily Krantz Jennifer MacNeil Luke MacNeil Carole Plante Madeline Poitras Lynne Randolph Malt Schlitzman Pam Siderewicz Lisa Shea Dennis Smith
Let me know if you’re interested in joining us! Last call is Monday, October 28th, 2019 at midnight EST!
It’s creepy and it’s kooky! Mysterious and spooky! For one night and one day only, the BVAA will hold a pop-up show and Halloween costume party in our BVAA Gallery!
Where: BVAA Alternatives Uxbridge Community Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
About the Show Spooky. Unsettling. Wisps of mists and dark shadows. Macabre brings out the fascination with the off-beat side of life.
Submissions The online submission deadline for the Macabre show is Monday, October 28th, 2019. You can submit up to three works which can hang on our panels or sit in or on a case. Because this is a pop-up show on panels within the gallery, we’re limited to what fits on those panels. It’s open to all BVAA members. This is not a judged show so you CAN enter things you’ve entered in previous shows.
Drop-Off If you can come to Milford TV on Thu 10/24, Lisa Shea can take your items from you there to then bring to Uxbridge. You can drop off work on Fri Oct 25th during the Tapestry reception or Sat Oct 26th during regular gallery hours.
You can also bring your works with you Friday of the party at 4pm to help us with the hanging and setup of the panels. Note that we can’t set up the panels before 4pm because this room is in use by Alternatives before this point. If none of these options work, contact Lisa and she’ll arrange an alternative!
Reception We’ll have our pop-up celebration on Friday, November 1st (Day of the Dead!) from 5-7pm.
Pick-Up We will take down the show Saturday afternoon at 3pm so that visitors on Saturday can enjoy it. If you can’t make it Saturday that’s fine, we’ll figure something out :).
Theme This show is Halloween. Spooky. Shadowy. Here are photos from a previous year – Macabre Show 2016
Come on out for a free, fun photography workshop along the Blackstone River! It’ll be Sunday, October 20 2019 from 11am – 1pm. It’ll be led by the amazing talented photographer James Hunt –
The Millbury Bike Path is part of the plans for a long bike path / walking path / celebration of the entire Blackstone River from Worcester, MA to Pawtucket, RI. The stretch which is complete in the Millbury area starts at a parking lot near the Blackstone Shoppes mall complex and goes north along the river to the Worcester Visitor’s Center just past the WalMart.
It’s quite an interesting bike path. It wends along the Blackstone River quite a lot, so you get good images of the ducks, turtles, beavers, and other creatures. There are a number of train bridges and walking bridges to get photos of.
Plus, the Blackstone River goes right along the train lines here, so there’s ample opportunity to get cool photos or drawings of the trains in various configurations.
Directions and Time We’re meeting at the MIDDLE Millbury bike path parking lot. It is immediately across the street from the Valu Gas Station at: 1255 Millbury Street Worcester, MA
So if you search for that on your GPS, you’ll find the spot. Here’s a map so you can see where it’s located. The parking lot is just north of where Route 20 crosses Route 146 and the Mass Pike. You can get to it by going a bit north on 146 from there and taking your first exit, then taking a right. Alternatively, you can take Route 20 east from 146, then take your first left onto Park Hill Ave, and then two more quick lefts.
We’ll meet at the middle parking lot at 11am to gather up everyone, and then go for a gentle walk to explore photography and the path! Call or text Lisa if you’re running late and she’ll let you know where to find us.
Please let us know via our contact form if you’re planning on coming, so we know to wait for you. If you forget that’s OK to, just show up! Bring friends! It’ll be a great morning of learning about photography and exploring our Blackstone River history!
We have an exciting demo planned for our next meeting on Tuesday October 15th 2019 6:30 to 9:00!
Our October 2019 meeting will feature a previous member of the Blackstone Valley Art Association, Stephen Halpert. Stephen and his wife Tasha were officers of the BVAA and helped begin the original Grafton Arts Festival.
Stephen is noted for his complex and beautiful collages.
Stephen will speak initially about the art of collage, giving a brief historical chronology , then discuss aspects of design like the law of thirds, balance, color contrast, and more. Then participants will be given boards and asked to make 3 collages of 5, 10 and 15 cuttings. That will be followed by Q&A.
Please plan to attend to see his work and participate in making a college yourself. Bring a pair of scissors, we will have everything else!
Location: BVAA Alternatives / Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
This meeting and workshop is free and open to the public. No experience is necessary. The fun of our workshops is that we all try new things we’ve never done before.
Our meetings cover BVAA organization business from 6:30-7:00pm and then go into the workshop part of the evening. Feel free to come for whichever half interests you the most. In general, our monthly meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month unless otherwise announced.
All are welcome – this workshop is open to members and non-members. Feel free to bring along a friend! We’d love to see you there to try some new things and explore your creativity!
Ask with any questions!
Our meetings are supported in part by grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This class has been cancelled. Please contact Carol Arnold about future classes.
NOTE: This class will focus on still life. Bring what you’d like to paint and your light and Carol will see you there!
Oil paint has been the medium of choice for a wealth of famous painters. Leonardo da Vinci. Claude Monet. Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Paul Cezanne. There is just something spectacular about the beauty of oil paint which captures the eye and the imagination.
Whether you’re a raw beginner or an experienced painter, this oil painting class will take you to the next level. It’s full of personal hands-on advice and a warm, welcoming atmosphere!
Talented painter Carol Arnold teaches a monthly oil painting class at the BVAA Alternatives Uxbridge Community Gallery! Carol is a member of Richard Schmid and Nancy Guzik’s Putney Painters! All levels of painters are welcomed with open arms. The focus will be on drawing, edges, values and color. These are areas which a beginner can practice and an advanced student can hone to perfection.
Carol makes these classes fun and inspiring, while supporting you to the next level of your growth!
This monthly class usually meets on the first Monday of every month from 6-9 pm. We are experimenting with other days to see how they work.
Cost: The maximum class size will be 10 students, to ensure plenty of hands-on time for each one. If there are only 1 or 2 students registered for a class, the class will be cancelled. If there are 3 or 4 students, each student pays $20/hr for the class = $60 total. If there are 5-10 students, each student pays $15/hr for the class = $45 total.
Invite your friends! Share the news! The more students which attend, the less you pay and the more fun it is to learn from each other.
When: Monday, Nov 4, 2019 6pm – 9pm
Where: BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery 5 South Main Street Uxbridge, MA 01569
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
Since at least 2010, there has been an annual Tapestry community art show held in our Uxbridge Gallery. It was run by Alternatives, then ValleyCast, and now by us. The idea of the show is that it’s a free, all-ages, all-abilities, open celebration of community and art. It’s for all types of art, from photography to painting to drawing to sculpture to stained glass and so on. It’s wholly inclusive.
Here’s the logo that was used for most of that time.
The problem is that nearly everyone I talk with thinks it’s a fabric / textile show and that they won’t enter because they don’t do fabrics or textiles. The logo doesn’t do much to clarify it at all.
This current year I tried using an image which shows more that it’s about inclusivity, and to use wording in the write-up which shows it’s an open theme, but I still don’t think this is helping enough. I’m still hearing from members that they weren’t planning on participating because they figured this was a textiles-fabrics-only show.
Help!
What can we do for a logo that makes it more clear? Maybe a ring of people around a four-square of different types of art, to visually show that everything is welcome? And say right in the name of it that we take all kinds of art from all kinds of people?
Maybe something more like this? Clearly done by someone more talented than me :).
And then what could we call it? Something that has that Tapestry “woven together” feel but isn’t so specifically fabric oriented?
Please share any ideas you might have. And please do enter this year’s show – the drop off is NEXT WEEKEND. Please invite family and friends – the more the merrier! All are welcome to participate!
The Open Sky / Alternatives / ValleyCast organization has held a yearly event for a few years now at the Whitin Mill complex in Whitinsville, MA. The one-day event, held in the fall, runs from 10am to 3pm. It is a celebration of making art and making music.
Artists set up tents in a ring around the plaza. Each artist is “making” something. One person shows how they make guitars with pretty art on them, another person shows how they make stained glass art, and so on. They also sell their art in their booth. The focus is on having visitors be able to come, see how the items are made, and to buy the art.
The stage has a rotation of musicians on it. There’s also a booth or two with a “petting zoo of instruments” where visitors can try out different instruments and see how they sound.
There’s a few food trucks on hand.
Cristi Collari at ValleyCast is looking to put together a small committee to plan the Fall 2020 event. That way the committee can look through the list of artists who want to participate, figure out the music schedule, choose the food trucks, and so on. She’d like 4 or 5 people to be on this with her so they have a good group to brainstorm.
If you’re interested, either in being a part of the festival or being a part of the committee (or both!) please contact Cristi at:
cristi.collari@openskycs.org
This will be quite a lot of fun. Visitors love the unique nature of what the festival offers.
Hi, we are very pleased to have Kristina Carroll from Gamblin presenting a 90 minute lecture demonstration on Saturday October 5th at the Uxbridge Gallery. WE NEED AT LEAST 20 ATTENDEES!
